Duration
5 months
Internships
The IAEA accepts a limited number of interns each year. The internships are awarded to persons studying towards a university degree or who have recently received a degree (see Internship web pages for further details).
The purpose of the programme is:
To provide interns with the opportunity to gain practical work experience in line with their studies or interests, and expose them to the work of the IAEA and the United Nations as a whole;
-
To benefit the IAEA's programmes through the assistance of qualified students specialized in various professional fields.
The duration of an internship is normally not less than three months and not more than one year.
Organizational Setting
The Department of Nuclear Safety and Security (NS) formulates and implements the IAEA's nuclear safety and security programme, which encompasses the Agency's activities to protect people and the environment from radiation exposure, and responds to the safety and security related needs of its Member States.
The objective of the Division of Nuclear Installation Safety (NSNI) is to achieve and maintain a high level of safety of nuclear installations worldwide that are under design or construction or in operation. The Division does this by establishing standards of safety for the protection of health, including standards for nuclear power plants and other nuclear installations and facilities, and by providing for the application of these standards through, among other things, support for the IAEA's Technical Cooperation programme, the rendering of safety review services, the promotion of education and training, the fostering of information exchange and the coordination of research and development. In addition, the Division helps ensure safety at nuclear installations by supporting international safety instruments such as the Convention on Nuclear Safety and the Code of Conduct on the Safety of Research Reactors. NSNI comprises five Sections:
External Events Safety Section
Operational Safety Section
Safety Assessment Section
Regulatory Activities Section
-
Research Reactor Safety Section
The main objective of the Regulatory Activities Section (RAS) is to help enhance effective regulatory infrastructures for nuclear safety in Member States based on IAEA safety standards and the use of self-assessment. The Section's activities include safety review and advisory missions to Member States, the development and revision of safety standards, support for effective regulatory development for countries embarking on new nuclear power programmes, development of training programmes for regulators, and organizational aspects related to the Convention on Nuclear Safety.
Main Purpose
The internship is designed to support the implementation of the 2025â2029 Strategic Plan of the Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS), with a focus on knowledge management and the deployment of AI-driven tools to enhance the programme and to optimize the preparation and execution of IRRS missions. It also involves providing technical support for activities related to Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and contributing to the Nuclear Harmonization and Standardization Initiative (NHSI). The intern will be working with professional staff in the Section.
Functions / Key Results Expected
Support the deployment of AI-driven solutions to enhance IRRS processes, including applications in data analysis and knowledge management.
Contribute to the advancement of safety culture appraisal methodologies applied during IRRS missions.
Review, consolidate, and improve the structure and accessibility of IRRS reference materials.
Assist in the maintenance and continuous improvement of the RegNet public website.
Collect, structure, and manage SMR-related data to support the NHSI SMR Regulation and Cooperation Hub.
Assist in the organization and delivery of meetings, workshops, and other Section-led events.
Qualifications and Experience
University Degree in engineering, nuclear physics or related science, IT, International Studies
Attention to detail and accuracy
Experience using SharePoint is an asset
Applicant Eligibility
Candidates must be a minimum of 20 years of age and have completed at least three years of full-time studies at a university or equivalent institution towards the completion of a first degree.
Candidates may apply up to one year after the completion of a bachelor's, master's or doctorate degree.
Candidates must not have previously participated in the IAEA's internship programme.
Good written and spoken English essential; fluency in any other IAEA official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Spanish or Russian) an asset.
Candidates must attach two signed letters of recommendation to their application.